Lid-lock for burial caskets



'May I6, 1933. J. D. CANI-:DY

LID Lock- FOR BURIAL cAsKErs 4 ,446.4 wwwa.

rra NE Ys' Patented May 16, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT OFEICE JOHN D. OANEDY, or ONEIDA,'NEW YORK, AssIGNoR 'ro MAXWELL. -srEEL vAULr COMPANY, or ONEIDA, NEW YORK, A CORPORATION OE NEW YORKv LID-,Loox EOR BURIAL OAsxE'rs l i Application led December 25, 1930. Serial No. 504,659.

This invention relates to alid lock adapted to be used more particularly in connection with burial caskets for automatically locking the lid when in its closed position and permitting the lid to be opened by upward pressure upon a portion of the latch-member in the direction of opening of the lid, but obviouslythe same locking device may be used in many other relations.

The main object is to provide a. simple practical and efficient locking device of this character, which may be made and sold ata comparatively low cost, and is capable of being easily and quickly secured in operative position upon the lid and underlying portions of the casket or analogous receptacle.

One of the specific objects is to provide the opposed sections ofthe lock with inter-engaging post and socket connections capable of resisting relative lateral or vendwise movement of the lid and underlying portions of the box, and atthe-` same time to utilize the post and its supporting plate as a means for receiving and supporting a latch-member adapted to interlock with a suitable detent on the keeper plate for holding theV lid against upward displacement;Y i V Another specific Objectis to enable the latch to be tripped by hand from its holding position in the direction of opening of the lid so that the latch-member may be tripped and the lid opened by one and the same operation.

Other objects and uses relating to other parts of the invention will be brought out in the following description.

In the drawing y Figure l is a perspective view, partly in section, of portions of the box and lid of a burial casket showing the lid in its closed position, and the exposed portion of one of the locking devices. Y

Figure 2 is an enlarged detail vertical sectional view taken in the plane of line 2-2, Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a detail vertical sectionalview taken in the plane of lline 3 3, Figure 2.

Figure 4 isI a horizontal sectional view taken in the plane of line 4F41, Figure 3l g Figure 5 is-a further enlarged detail vertical sectional AView taken in the plane of line' 5-45, Figure 3.

Figure 6 is a-horizontal v'detail sectional' view taken in the plane ofzline 6.-6, Figure 2.

In order that the invention may be clearly understood I have shown a part `of a box section A- andl a part of a lid section -A- of a burial casket, in which the box A- and lid -A- lare provided respectively With sheet metal linings-a"- and --b-w 4having inturned horizontal ledges -aand -L- forming portions of the meeting faces of the marginal edges of both of the casket sections. f

vLl lock Any number of lid locks may be used in spaced relation along the marginal edges of thebox and lid for locking the lid in `its closed'position, and as illustrated, eac-h lock comprises a pair of opposed relatively small sheet metal plates -1- and -2-, the plate 1 beingsubstantially box-shaped andv arrangedV along the underside of .the ledge -awith its open side Vi'acing saidl ledge, said plate being provided'at both ends with Oppositely projecting flanges -3- which are electrically Welded or otherwise permanently secured to said ledge, as shown more clearly in Figures 2 and 3.

The ledge -aand the bottom of the plate -lare provided with vertically registering openings -4- substantially midway between the ends and sides ofthe plate .-li'or receiving a post on the plate 2" when the lid is closed.V y

The plate `-2,- is electrically welded or otherwise permanently secured to the upper face of the ledge -bof the lid A- to'eXtend approximately the full length of the underlying plate -1- and is provided with a post -5- projecting downwardly through an opening -6- in the ledge -bin regis-y tration with the openings-t, said openings being of slightly greater diameter than the post to enable the latter to readily enter the Same when the lid is closed, thereby holding the lid more or less firmly against lateral or endwise movement relatively to the box The post -5- is of greater axial length than the distance between the bottom of the plate -land overlying plate -2- so that when the lid is closed it will extend downwardly through and beyond the bottom Vwall of the plate land is provided with an annular peripheral groove -7- between the bottom of the platef-land overlying ledge -afor receiving the opposite arms of a U-shaped spring -8- which is mounted within the chamber of the plate ,-lso that its arms may engage in diametrically opposite sides of the'groove to assist in holding the lid in its closed position, and for another purpose presently described, the lower end'of the post -5- being tapered so as to wedge itself between and against the tension of the opposite arms kof the spring -8- during the closing movement of the lid. See Figures 2, 3 'and-4l.

The plate -2- and post 5fare Lprovided with vertically registering radial slots or grooves -9-, mainly at the inner side of the axis of the post and above the lower end thereof, the inner side of the slot below the plate -2- being open, while the outer wall or bearing -10 of the same slot is preferably curved downwardly and inwardly from top to bottom, and its upper end is opened to receive a suitable latch-member -11-, presently described.

rlhe inner wall of the slot -9- vin the plate -2- just above the latch-member -11- is closed to form a fulcrum bearing about which the latch-member -11- is adapted to rock in a manner presently described.

The latch-member -1l is movable'vertically, inwardly and outwardly in the slot or groove -9- and is curved to conform more or less closed to the curved outer wall -l0- of said slot, said latch-member forming one arm of a U-shaped sheet metal lever -12-, the central portion of which is offset laterally andV outwardly directly over the adjacent portion of the plate -2- so as to normally rest thereon.

The outer arm -l3-, of the lever -12. 1s extended downwardly through an opening lll- 1n the ledge JY-just at the outside of the upright side portion Zzof the box, and 1s provided with'an out-turned fingerpiece -lfby which the lever and latchmember may be rocked about the fulcrum -lon the plate -2- at the inner side of a slot -9-, as shown more clearly in Figure 2. That is, the marginal edge of the lid A- extends slightly beyond the corresponding marginal edge of the box -A- to permit the outer arm 13H of the lever -12- to pass downwardly through the opening -14- and across the outer face of the adjacent portion of the box -A- so that the iingerpiece -15 may be accessible to the user for`\ma nipulation, particularly when opening the lid. Y

vThe lever -12- and its latch-member -llare normally urged downwardly by means oi a spring 175- which is passed tliroughan aperture -v-lS- in the central portion of said lever, and has its opposite ends engaged in apertured lugs -19- and -20- substantially equal distances from and at 0pposite sid-es ofthe lever, thereby normally and yieldingly holding the intermediate portion ofsaid lever against the upper'face of the plate -,2-'- just at the outside of thefslot -9- and curved wall -10-, and at the same time yieldingly holding the Vlatch-member l1- in its lowermost position.

Under these conditions the latch-member -llwillextend downwardlybetwee'n the outer curved wall -10- ofv they slot -9- and inner arm of the spring -8, while its lower end will be projected inwardly beyond the periphery of the post -5- and below the inner arm of the spring -8-, as shown more clearly in Figure 2. 4

This latch-member, therefore, cooperates with the inner arm of the spring -8- and outer portion of the plate --2-to lock the lid against upward displacement when closed or until the outer arm -13- and lingerpiece l5- of the lever -12- has been elevated, as .shown by dotted lines in Figure 2, in the act of opening the lid.

Suitable means is provided for permitting the spring-wirel -17-- to be inserted through and removed from apertures in' the lugs -19- and 20-'- and lever -12-', and for this purpose one end ofthe spring is provided with a returnbend orloop -21-, movable about the axis of the adjacent end of the spring into and out of registration with va notch V-QQ-f in one side of the apertured lug -19-, as shown in Figure 5, the remaining portions of the upper edge of the lug being concentric with the axis of the adjacent portion of the wire spring and lof about tliegsame radius as that of the loop 2l- The end -21-- .of the loop -21- is returned laterally across the inn-er 'face of the lug -19- a distance slightly' less than the radial depth of the recess -22- .so that when registered therewith the spring 17-y may be withdrawn axially from engagement with both of the lugs '-*19- and -20- land lever -12-- 011 the vOther hand, in reverse manner, ythe ico - -19- and -20- and lever -12-, and then turned about its axis until the loop 21- engages the side of the lug -19- opposite the recess Q2- at which time the return end -2lwill have engaged the inner face of the lug -19- to hold the spring-wire against accidental endwise displacement.

The spring -8 is preferably made of round wire to facilitate the entrance and removal of the tapered post 5 between the opposite arms thereof, it being understood that these arms are tensioned to automatically enter the adjacent sides of the annular groove -7- and are free to spread apart by and during the insertion and removal of the post as the lid is closed and opened.

The lower end face of the latch-member -11- is beveled inwardly and upwardly to enable it to ride against the inner face of the adjacent arm of the spring -8- for moving said arm inwardly against its own tension or, simultaneously forcing the latchmember and its supporting lever upwardly and outwardly against the 'action of the spring 17 thus facilitating the automatic operation of the locking lever to its locking position when the lid is closed.

Operation lVhen closing the lid the post 5 will pass into and through the registering openings in the ledge-aand lower plate l, thereby spreading the opposite arms of the spring -8 until the annular groove -7- is registered with said arms, whereupon the latter will automatically engage in said groove to assist in holding the lid in its closed position. j

During this closing movement of the lid the lower beveled end of the latch-member -11- will ride against the outer face of the inner arm of the spring -8- to either force the same inwardly against its own tension or to force the locking lever -12- upwardly against the action of its retracting spring -17-, but just as soon as the lower end of the latch-member -11- has passed the inner arm of the spring -8-, it will be forced inwardly by the action of the spring -17- beyond the periphery of the post 5 and directly under the inner arm of the spring -8- until limited by the engagement of the oHset outer portion of the lever -12- with the upper face of the plate -2-, as 'shown in Figure 2, thereby additionally locking the lid in its closed position.

On the other hand when it is desired to open the lid it is simply necessary to lift upwardly upon the fingerpiece -l5-, thereby rocking the lever -l2- about the fulcrum -l6-, and causing said lever to move upwardly and outwardly until the lower end of the latch-member -llis within the periphery of the post -5-, at which time continued upwardV lift upon lthe fingerpiece -15- will effectl the opening of the lid.

The construction of the lid lock, thus .de-

scribed, is particularly simple, practical and A eicient in that a double lock is provided for theclosed lid, one by the engagement of the opposite arms of the spr-ing -S-in the an- Y nular groove -7-, and the other vby the engagement of the lower endof the latch-member-1 with the inner-lower side'of the inner arm ofthe spring -8-, which latchmember must be displaced by upward movement of the outer end -15- of the lever 12 against the action of the spring -17- before the lid can be opened.

It is evident, however, that certain structural elements of the loclr may be modified without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What IV claim is 1. Ina separable fastener for box-lids, a socketed member on the box, a post member on the lid having its post adapted to enter the sockete'd member and provided with grooves in its opposite sides, said post having a lengthwise slot in one side adjacent one of the grooves, spring arms on the socketed member at opposite sides of the post and tensioned to engage in said grooves when the post is in the socket for frictionally holding the lid in $5 its closed position and a U-shaped lever pivotally and yieldingly mounted on the post member and having one arm adapted to enter said slot and to engage the adjacent Ispring lengthwise slot in one side, lugs on the postv member at opposite sides of the post, a bowspring wire engaging said lugs, a latch-member pivoted to said wire between the lugs and adapted. to enter the slot in the post when the lid is closed, a vdetent on the socketed member adapted to be engaged by said latch member, and means at the exterior of the box and below the lid for rocking said latch member about its pivot out of engagement with the detent.

3. A separable fastener for box-lids comprising opposed plates adapted to be secured respectively to the box and to the lid, the boxplate and lid-plate being provided respectively with an opening and a post movable into and out of the opening as the lid is closed and opened, said lid-plate having a slot extending into the post and through the inner face thereof, a yielding detent operatively mounted on the box-plate adjacent the inner wall of the opening therein, and a U-shaped lever pivotally mounted on the lid-plate and hav- C:bis

ingone of its arms adapted to enter said opening and slot and to frotionally engage said detent When the lid is closed for holding said lid in its Closed position, the other arm of the lever being extended through an opening in the lid-plate at the outside of the box when the lid is closed to form @handle by which the lever may be rocked about itskaxis.

In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my t10 hand this Nineteenth day of December 1930.

a Y JOHN D. CANEDY. 

